The present invention pertains to the area of field emission devices and, more particularly, to field emission displays having in situ hydrogen sources.
Field emission devices having in situ hydrogen sources are known in the art. For example, Jeng et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,485) describe a field emission display having a dielectric layer, which is made from hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) and is capable of desorbing at least ten atomic percent hydrogen. Jeng et al teach that the dielectric layer is distributed on the cathode plate of the field emission display. While the distributed HSQ keeps deleterious oxides from forming on microtip emitters, it does not function as a getter for the adsorption of contaminants. If distributed gettering is desired, an additional, distributed gettering structure is required. Provision of a distributed getter thus necessitates additional process steps and materials. It does not appear that a distributed hydrogen source, which also functions as a getter, exists in the prior art.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved field emission device having a distributed hydrogen source, which can further function as a getter.